The CloakNet Project is a program that encrypts messages on an IRC network using plain text. It was developed on the .NET platform, as well as having a Python version for Linux users. When executed, cloaknet puts itself inbetween the IRC Client that the user is using and the IRC server so that anything sent to and from the IRC Client is encrypted for secure communication.

The CloakNet Project is currently in Beta Version. This means it works, but there are many bugs to be found and fixed. Both the source code and the binaries are available for download. The current list of Clients that have been tested with the beta version are: mIRC, irssi, Trillian, X-Chat, Bersirc, KVIrc, Pidgin, Visual IRC, ChatIRC, BitchX, Konversation, Snak, Ircle, & Colloquy.

Cloaknet currently uses 256 bit Rijndael/AES. Currently, all messages that are decrypted via CloakNet are prepended with “++”, this is to inform you that the message needed decrypted and were not sent on an unencrypted channel. This prepended stamp will never be sent outside of the network, and is not considered a CloakNet identifier.

When the Cloaknet program is running on your system, You will simply connect your preferred IRC Client to the CloakNet daemon, which then will allow encryption of all your messages sent and recieved on your Client. It will then forward your Client to your preferred IRC Network. There is no modifications required to the client or the server for this to be possible.

For this all to be possible, any and all users wishing to communicate with each other via CloakNet much have a common Pre-Shared Key (PSK). Users without CloakNet, or a PSK, will see encrypted text instead. With the PSK, CloakNet will decrypt the text and forward it to your client un-encrypted.

Below is the infrastructure in which CloakNet uses to connect your IRC Client to the desired Network using the PSK, both on Windows and Linux. All information below was taken directly from the CloakNet Website.

Operation (.NET):

The current version (.NET 20080229.0320) command structure is as follows:

cloaknet.exe [remotehost:port] [psk] [localhost:port] [initvector]

[remotehost:port] Required
[psk] Required
[localhost:port] Optional
[initvector] Optional

For Example:

C:\cloaknet.exe irc.quaknet.org:6667 preSharedKeyHere 192.168.1.1:1337 1234567890123456

or

C:\cloaknet.exe irc.freenet.org:6667 preSharedKeyHere localhost:1337 1234567890123456

Operation (Python):

The current version (Python 0.2) command structure is as follows:

python.exe irc-python.py

Configure the proxy.ini file as follows (on one line no more):
[server_name] [server_port] [proxy_port] [initial_value] [pass_key] [salt]
For Example:
b0rk.uk.quakenet.org 6667 9997 3u76@B24eFg5c1D9 key456 salt56789

Known Bugs:

There is currently a known bug which is thought to be related to DCC, which causes CloakNet to crash. If/When this happens, Restart CloakNet after ensuring all other CloakNet daemons are kill, once it has restarted you may be informed that CloakNet cannot bind to the last port in which you used. If this happens, simply change the port CloakNet is running on. If you are running CloakNet on a remote network host, you may need to open/forward another port before changing the port.

Where do I download this?

Simply Download Cloaknet from the CloakNet Website.